Comment by Krellath

If you socket with +4 str +4 crit rating, this compared to the Steadying gives:

+4 AP+ 0.34% crit+10 stam-9 int-69 armour

Also, since the AP comes purely from strength, you will benefit more from Blessing of Kings.

Edit: Ah don't think the armour reduction was showing on the mail Badge bracers when I originally posted. This complicates the comparison somewhat ;-)Damage reduction from armour at level 70 is roughly armour / (armour + 10557). At, for example, 2.5K armour, this will be 19.15% reduction. Reducing this by 105 gives 18.49% reduction. Mobs/players with even less armour will experience an even greater reduction in their mitigation.

I wouldn't say 105 armour reduction on its own provides a "VAST percentage" damage increase, or gives "an incredible benefit", as the poster below has, but stack a few of these armour reduction items and you'll notice a difference.

Long story short, for an enchanc shammy in PvE, either the leather or mail bracers are an acceptable choice from the badge rewards. Choose between armour reduction, or small benefits in tradiational stats.

Comment by Uninc

Wouldn't say new, but formerly it's been more or less reserved for subtetly rogues.

Serrated blades. But yeah, new on items.

Comment by droodhaxzomg

Not as great as some are calling it, since gear from Tier 4 onward is low on defense rating which you need once you get rid of Earthwarden and the Clefthoof set. At best they're a side-grade, really. Resilience is valuable later on since it's more effective than defense rating for getting you crit-immune, and in the time it takes you to do 7 heroics you can probably earn the honor to get Vindicator's, which are better than this unless you have less than 22k armor before equipping these.

Comment by Kwanza

Absolutely correct. You are far far FAR better off picking up the feral s3 bracers:

With these and a +4agi/+6stam gem, you get 19 resilience which as the previous poster mentioned becomes and all important tanking stat in end game when you are no longer wearing Heavy Clefthoof gear or Earthwardern. Really if they wanted to give feral tanks some love, there should be an on equip bonus on some of our gear that just reads "Reduces the chance of critical strikes by 1%".

Do not waste badges on these, especially when 10k honor is farmable by ANYONE in 1 day of AV weekend.

Every feral druid should be picking up the new badge cloak, however. :)

Comment by Aliandro

I have to say, I much prefer these over the Veteran's Bracers. While resilience will make you crit immune, that's all it does. I prefer to get as much of my crit negation from defence as possible because even without parry and block from it, it's still valuable for the miss and dodge. If you're not at the armour cap (36K, not 22K), these are very nice. Crit immunity can be reached using gems, rings, cloak and neck while having high armour pieces in your 8 armour slots. Once you've hit armour cap and are crit immune, then you need to increase agi and stam. And these have more of both than the Veteran's Bracers. Clear upgrade in my books.

Comment by Kwanza

I'm assuming that you're still wearing your Heavy Clefthoof boots. Putting some resilience on your bracers allows you to wear Zierhut's or Treads of the Den Mother.

Comment by fdruid

Agreed to this statement.

Comment by trayion

Could someone please post a screenshot of these? I realize I could just view them on a paperdoll, but somehow it's just not the same!

Comment by Twohooves

Consider socketing these with an agility / +hit gem, even for tanking. +hit is often an overlooked stat for tanking.

Comment by forestblade

Its a conditional upgrade from Vindicator's, only way I'd touch them would be if I was back in clefthoof and had all the def I needed or I was way in Hyjal / BT and could get the def I needed from other items. The amount of crit immunity on Vindicator's (a relativly easy to get item) is very nice for people around tiers 4 and 5Bands of the Swift Paw--------Vindicator's Dragonhide Bracers317 Armor-------------------------236 Armor21 Str-------------------------------22 Str22 Agi------------------------------22 Agi31 Stam---------------------------29 Stam Yellow Socket---------------- Red Socket(+3 Str Socket Bonus)---------(+2 Resil Socket Bonus)---------------------------------------+21 Crit Raiting---------------------------------------+17 Resilience

Comment by Norellicus

He makes blanket statements about 12def being a better enchant than 12 stam, which is flat wrong. Yes, if you need crit immunity, then of course 12def may prove useful; doesn't mean that it's better bang for the buck on the whole in every circumstance.

Comment by brillenschuss

where do you get a +12 defense enchant for bracers?

Comment by brillenschuss

where do you get a +12 defense enchant for bracers?

Comment by ShadedWill

Not to mention, aside from being fantastic and available Feral Tank bracers, they do decent DPS in a pinch.

Comment by ignis86

the bonus armor is removed in the ptr :(

Comment by ignis86

the bonus armor is removed in the ptr :(

Comment by wulf534

OMG I am not one to bitch but i spent my 35 badges alone for the armor buff to the bracers, now its just a waste of badges. these were "he best druid tanking bracers "and now for lack of a better word they are crap and a waste of badges.